Pedestal
by LadySunsetScales
Summary: When Lonnie was adopted by world nobles, she put herself on a pedestal as she hoped everyone else would have. However, with the arrival of a new slave, it becomes more and more obvious to her that she'll never be one of them. She'll always be just barely human. [AU that still takes place within the universe, SanjiXOC, REMEMBER THAT THIS IS ENTIRELY AU! Rated T for abuse]
1. Chapter 1

Once I'd turned eleven, I'd given up hope of ever being adopted. So, it stood to reason how shocked I was when a family of World Nobles wanted to bring me home when I was thirteen. World Nobles were the best road to the easy life. That was for sure.. Unfortunately, they stressed that I dress nicely, meaning they had elegant gowns aplenty waiting for me. With some persuading, however, I convinced them to get me dress shirts and various pants.

They were very aloof, my adopted parents were. I didn't mind, though. My life was easy.

Then, he came along.

I was fifteen when they brought him into our home. He was my age, I was certain. He had blonde hair that covered his left eye, and above his right was an eyebrow that curled up at the end. The eye I could see was a deep blue, and his chin was prickly with the beginnings of awkward adolescent facial hair.

I was used to slaves in our house. My adopted parents had many of them. They were their favourite purchase to make.

However, this one wouldn't quit staring at me. I hated him.

I had to keep an eye on him, though, when they were away. In fact, when they weren't using him to entertain themselves, he was my charge.

He always seemed relieved when I took him off their hands. He always had new bruises or cuts. He always wanted to start a conversation.

"I'm Sanji."

I glanced at him briefly, but didn't respond.

"How come you aren't dressed like them?"

I tensed. I knew why. Their blood didn't run through my veins.

"That'th none of your buthineth, blondie," I lisped defensively.

Sanji smiled a little.

"So you can speak."

I rolled my eyes at him and marched away. He was following closely. But, of course. That's what he was told to do. I stopped and sighed, turning to look at him.

"That'th a lot of bruitheth," I sneered in the hopes of silencing him. "You mutht be pretty poorly behaved, huh?"

"Were you adopted?"

I froze, my eyes wise.

"W-what the hell maketh you think you can make thothe kind of athumptionth about me?" I demanded angrily.

He gave me a soft, sad smile.

"Did your parents die?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"You be careful what you thay to me," I growled, hoping to intimidate him even though he was far taller than me.

Sanji placed a hand on my shoulder, sending a jolt through my body.

"I'm here if you need someone to talk to," he offered.

I violently shrugged his arm off my shoulder.

"No. One. Toucheth. Me," I hissed into his ear after yanking him down to my level by his shirt.

Releasing him, I walked away seething.


	2. Chapter 2

I didn't have a lot to lord over Sanji in terms of favouritism any longer. I examined my rib cage in the mirror. They didn't look nearly as bad as they felt. I sucked air in through my teeth and rolled my shirt back over it. They'd likened to me to a pet when I was supposedly out of earshot, saying I couldn't be spoiled too much and I needed discipline to learn to behave. At least I was still above a slave, I reasoned. I didn't get hurt as much as Sanji. I didn't have to do work.

It seemed I was just getting used to my bruised ribs when Sanji bumped into me. He was carrying a tray of dirty dishes, which managed to jab me right in the ribs. I yelped and fell over backwards, clutching them. Clumsy asshole, I thought.

"Oh my god, Lonnie, are you okay?"

I never knew how he'd learned my name.

He offered me his hand. Concern weighed down his expression, but I knew he wasn't scared of me like he was my adopted family.

True to my nature, I glared at him and smacked his hand away. I stood up slowly.

"Watch where you're going."

"Did I hurt you?"

He looked like he was itching to check me over, but wouldn't without my blessing. Thankfully, he remembered how much I hated being touched.

"Why do you have to talk to me?" I snapped, trying to push past him before the pain made me cry.

I didn't cry a lot, honest. It was just when I was hurt. It was easy to bring me to tears when I was hurt. I could only take so much pain, being as small as I was. I remembered when I had my front teeth knocked out, for instance, I cried a lot. All it took was physical pain.

It was disgusting. I disgusted myself.

Sanji stopped me by grabbing my arm, thereby breaking the touching rule. My eyes were burning more intensely by this time, and I spun around and slapped him before I could think about it. That isn't to say I didn't mean to hit him: I definitely did. But, looking at this bruised face that held nothing but concern for me in its eyes made me feel like the lowest of the low. I wrenched my arm away from him, certain my tears were already beginning to overflow.

"Don't touch me," I told him in a shakey, quiet voice. "Don't you ever touch me."

"Lonnie..."

I clutched my ribs again and turned away, biting my lip in an effort to keep the tears back until I was safely in my room. Once there, I shut the door, collapsed on my bed, and sobbed.

For once, not all of it came from the pain.


	3. Chapter 3

"Blondie!"

Where on Earth could that bubbly little idiot be?

"Blon~die~!" I yelled louder.

The Nobles weren't home, so I wasn't worried about making a lot of noice.

I stopped in the living room: The centre of the house. I took a deep breath and shouted at the top of my lungs, "BLON~DIE~!"

"What's the matter, Lonnie? What are you yelling for?"

I spun around to see him setting the table with tea. I trotted over to him.

"What'th thith for, blondie?"

"Well, I thought you might like to try some of this."

I plopped down into a chair.

"What ith it? Tea?"

He poured me some.

"Yep. I noticed you don't really get to drink any, so I thought I'd sneak you some."

I frowned and looked up at him.

"You're going to get yourthelf beat."

Sanji chuckled.

"The proper response is 'thank you'."

I furrowed my brow as he poured me a cup. Hesitating a moment, I brought it to my mouth. It was amazing tea. The man had talent. Still, I set it down, looking back up at him.

"Anyway, blondie, about why I wath calling you?"

I shifted to a more upright position so as to look more refined or something.

"We need to dithcuth the no-touching rule."

Sanji glanced at the door nervously before sitting across the table from me and flashing me a smile.

"You're thinking of repealing it?"

"No!" I snapped. "I want to enforthe it more harshly. You. Can. Not. Touch. Me."

"I understand, Lonnie. Don't worry: It won't happen again."

"It had better not!"

"Out of curiosity, though," he continued, propping up his elbows on the table and resting his chin on his hands, "why do you loathe being touched so much?"

I narrowed my eyes.

"Why wouldn't I hate it?"

Touching was overrated. It led to things. Things that got other people's saliva all over your face. Not to mention other bodily fluids, more often than not. I shuddered at the thought. People disgusted me.

"Well, not all touches are bad," Sanji offered, laying one hand on the table face up as though requesting for me to hold it. "In the proper hands, anyone can succumb to their flesh. Perhaps you just need a caring lover."

A teasing smile played on his lips.

I wanted to vomit all over him.

"That'th dithguthting," I told him flatly, shrinking back. "Don't imply thingth like that."

He slowly withdrew his hand, his face hinting at disappointment.

"There are friendly touches, too."

I raised an eyebrow, sipping my tea.

"What ith it you mean?"

"Well, I can pat you on the back. And, uh, some friends hug each other. Some friends even kiss each other on the cheek."

I made a face.

"That thoundth methy."

It just sounded like more ways to get spit on people's faces to me.

"It's not," he replied, standing up. "I can show you, if you'd let me."

I glanced to the side. He was giving me a choice? I didn't usually get a choice in this matter. So, why did I still feel trapped?

I pressed my back against the chair.

"That'th not a good idea."

Sanji smiled at me. It was such a strange smile that I felt uncomfortable looking at him. I stood quickly from the table and left, feeling a little lightheaded for some ungodly reason.


End file.
